The Trump administration is seeking to build a new international coalition called the Maritime Freedom Construct (MFC) to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Reuters report based on a confidential U.S. State Department cable. The document says Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved the initiative, and U.S. embassies were told to approach partner governments verbally by May 1.
State Department and Pentagon split operational roles
The cable, dated April 28, describes the MFC as “the critical first step” toward a post-conflict maritime security structure in the Middle East. Under the plan, the State Department would handle diplomatic coordination with partner countries and the shipping industry. The Pentagon, through U.S. Central Command in Florida, would manage real-time maritime traffic coordination and maintain direct communication with vessels transiting the strait.
The framework is presented as part of a broader effort to protect long-term energy security, safeguard critical maritime infrastructure, and preserve passage through one of the world’s most important chokepoints. That is the immediate focus of the proposal.
Flexible participation, but China and Russia excluded
The cable says U.S. participation requests were designed to lower the barrier for allies and partners. Countries could contribute through diplomatic backing, intelligence sharing, sanctions enforcement, or direct naval deployments. The U.S. message also stated that it welcomed participation “at all levels” and did not expect partners to pull naval assets from existing regional maritime groupings.
At the same time, the document draws a firm line on membership. It explicitly excludes Russia, China, Belarus, Cuba, and “other U.S. adversaries”. The cable also frames the MFC as a navigation-security initiative rather than an extension of the president’s maximum-pressure campaign, and says it is separate from ongoing negotiations.
Hormuz disruption puts energy flows in focus
Reuters said the Strait of Hormuz normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments. The source material states that after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and Tehran later announced a closure of the waterway, traffic through the strait shrank sharply, while oil prices climbed on supply fears.
With U.S.-Iran talks at a standstill, Washington is now trying to organize a multilateral response around maritime access and energy transit. For now, the details in public come from the cable reviewed by Reuters, while the shape of the coalition and the level of foreign participation remain unsettled.